Work-holding mechanism



@une 24, 1924-. 1,498,660

' M. L.. JEFFREY WORK HOLDING MECHANI SM Filed Dec. 29 1919 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

AT TURNEYS Patented .lune Z4, 1924. i

UNITED STATES PTE `FFCE.

MAX L. JEFFREY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR TO THE COLUMBIA A.XLECO1VI- PANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIOu To all whom tmay concern.'

Be it known that I, MAX L. JEFFREY, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and use ful Improvement in iWork-Holding Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a speciiication, the principle of the inventionlbeing herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplatedapplying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention, relating to mechanism for holding axles, isdirected to an improved mechanism for receiving, centering and properlypositioning an axle or similar article for operation upon by a multiplespindle drill, or other machine. The ordinary practice at present inhandling axles in this way is to mount the axle in a suitable stationaryjig or template in such position as to bring the part to be operatedupon in line with the tool, but this is a slow and cumbersome way ofhandling these axles which are extremely heavy and bulky, and thepresent invention is a considerable improvement thereover by reason ofthe ease of manipulation and the accuracy of the adjustment. To theaccomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then,consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claim.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved mechanism;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same partially in section; Fig. 3 is atransverse section on-the line 33, Fig. 1; and Fig. 1 is an elevation ofthe right hand end of the apparatus shown in'Fig. 2, the base beingshown in section.

The present device is particularly designed for holding front axleswhile the same are being drilled at the spring pads beneath a multiplehead multiple spindle drilling machine, that is, a machine having two ormoreA spaced heads, each of which contains a series of'suitably arrangeddrills.

The present mechanism consists of a base WORK-HOLDING IVIECHANISM. I i My j 1 Application led December 29, 1919. Serial No. 348,155.

1 carrying transversely extending parallel guides 2, upon which ismovably mounted a table 3. The table is provided with a series of rolls11 mounted upon and engaging the guides 2,v and permitting the table tobe moved transversely of the base 1. The actuating means for so movingthe table are shown in the form of a handle 5, which is pivoted to thebase and connected by means of a link 6 to the front side of the table3.

Mounted upon the table 3 are two pairs of opposed removable jaw members8. Each pair of jaw members 8 is slidably mounted in the ways formed inbed plates 9 which are mounted on the table 3 and are movablelongitudinally thereof only. These opposed jaw members 8 are operatedsimultaneously toward and away from each other by means of an actuatingmember which is provided with opposed threaded portions 11 and 12 andoperated by means of a hand wheel 13, mounted at the forward side of thebase. The jaws may of vcourse be formed to receive either the axle 14,which is in the usual form, or whatever other article it may be desiredto operate on, and they are so constructed to clamp and engage the twoopposite sides of this member.

At either end of the table 3 is mounted a slidable plate 15 providedwith two upstanding brackets 16 and 17, which are adjustable and spacedapart suiiiciently to Vreceive the wheel bearing spindle 18 of the axle14. The collar 19 on this spindle, against which the wheel is mountedengages against the front faces of the brackets 16 and 17, and thisengagement between the collar 19 and the brackets 16 and 17 serves toposition the axle in the proper predetermined position longitudinally ofthe table. The two members 15 are slidably mounted for movement towardand away from each other and may be simultaneously and similarlyoperated by means of a longitudinally extending actuating shaft 21bearing oppositely threaded portions 22 and 23, and operable from eitherend by either one of the hand wheels 24. In operation the brackets 16and 17 are iirst positioned to receive the axle to be operated upon,that is, they are adjusted to be engaged by the collars on the wheelspindles of the axle when the latter is set between the brackets. Afterthe axlehas thus been set into the brackets, the hand wheels 13 areoperated to cause the jaws 8 to engage the axle and centrally positionit with respect to the table. rlhe axle is then in the predeterminedposition to be operated upon by the drills, and, if desired, templates26 may be laid across the upper surfaces of the axle at the points whereit is to be drilled, these templates being provided with holes 27 toguide the drills, which are then brought down and operated to drill theholes for the spring pads in the axle. The templates are positioned b-yplates 28 mounted on bolts 29 on bosses 30 on the table 9.

It has been found that the present mechanism for handling axles is verymuch more convenient and quicker than are the sta'- tionary jigs yandtemplates which have been used in the past, and also the presentmechanism lightens the work of the operators to a 'marked extent.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed,

1,4eaeeo provided the means stated by the following claim or theequivalent of such stated means be employed.

, I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 'z- In mechanism for holding and centering automobile axles,the combination of a carriage mounted for transverse bodily movement,two spaced pairs of axle engaging jaws mounted on said carriage, each ofsaid jaws upon operation being adapted to engage and bring said axleinto a predetermined eentered position, two pairs of other jaws mountedat the ends of said carriage, said last named jaws upon operation beingadapted to engage the end portions of said axle and position it in apredetermined 1ongitudinal position, a fixed drill template carried bysaid carriage, and means for adjusting the relative position of all ofsaid jaws with respect to said template.

Signed by me, this 22 dayv of December,

MAX L. JEFFREY.

